Small predators and birds feed on lizards, so these reptiles have to look for a variety of ways to protect themselves. If it fails to hide or escape, the lizard sacrifices its tail to save itself.
How does a lizard's tail come off?
The process of dropping the tail is not at all easy for a lizard. The animal may well not survive such a loss, because the tail plays a large role in coordination and balance. The lizard throws off its tail only if it understands that there is no other way to save life.
The larger and slower the reptile, the more of its tail it loses. Thus, the lizard gives to the predator a piece sufficient to satisfy hunger and leaves to recover from the experience. Small fast lizards throw away a small part of their tail, distracting the attention of the pursuer with such a maneuver, and quickly run away.
The tail of any animal is an extension of the spine. The lizard's tail consists of several zones that can break. The zones are interconnected by muscles, cartilage and ligaments. With an immediate threat to the life of the reptile, the muscles and ligaments in one of the zones of the tail are torn.
Having received a signal from the lizard's brain, which assessed the situation and considered it necessary to give part of itself to the predator, the muscles contract sharply, and part of the tail is separated from the body. The torn off tail twitches for some time, distracting the attention of the pursuer. In most cases, the predator is content with this prey and does not pursue the lizard.
How does a lizard live after losing its tail?
The lizard's newly grown tail is not at all the same as the old one. Its color is different, the junction is narrowed. The tail vertebrae are not restored. Instead of them, cartilage appears, so the new process does not fully possess the functions of a full-fledged tail.
If an animal that has already lost part of its tail again finds itself in a situation that is dangerous to its life, it will have to sacrifice a lot - the separation occurs higher. Sometimes this process ends with the death of the lizard.
Small reptiles grow a tail for about a month. Larger ones - up to a year. All this time, the lizards are forced to lead a different way of life. Animals lose their speed, agility, ability to swim along with their tail.
Some individuals cannot reproduce in the absence of a tail, since it is in it that contains a supply of fats and other nutrients. If during this time the lizard does not receive enough food, it may die.
Do not grab the lizard by the tail just for fun, because the animal can instinctively get rid of a very important organ for it and not survive this loss!
